Rising Stars: Meet Sam R. Ross

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Sam R. Ross.

Hi Sam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been acting from a very young age and was lucky enough to attend a performance arts high school where I studied theater, dance, voice, and percussion. I quit high school because I was accepted by a top acting school that I ultimately could not afford and ended up taking a small scholarship at a state school. Unfortunately, I left the program after a year, lost the scholarship, and started studying accounting.

I ended up getting an MPA and CPA and joined a large firm in Atlanta, which was my initial connection to the city. I always knew or at least thought I would return to acting. I felt I just needed to make enough money so that I wouldn’t lose another creative opportunity because of my inability to afford it. After ten years, I quit the corporate world and started Down Right Theater in Duluth, GA.

In the fifth year of running Down Right, I was offered an opportunity to get my Masters in Fine Arts at Trinity Rep in Providence, RI, under the artistic direction of Oskar Eustis. I didn’t want to pass this up and had to decide between Down Right and my masters. As a result, Down Right was sold to the founders of the Aurora, which is now in Lawrenceville.

After Providence, I moved to Los Angeles, where I started working here and there in film and TV. The experience was not rewarding for me, and I started choosing theater jobs on the East Coast over TV work. I co-founded Vanguard Repertory Company (VRC) while in Los Angeles. VRC was a physical-based theater company that only developed brand new work; it was this work with Vanguard and a performance of a play I saw at the Abbey in Dublin, Ireland that rededicated me to theater completely. I realized the work that I wanted to do was not going to be appreciated in Los Angeles and decided to head back to Atlanta.

Once back, I started Windmill Arts Center (Windmill). The original idea behind Windmill was to provide a home for VRC and to continue to develop new work. I discovered quickly during the renovation of the building that would house Windmill that, like most major cities, space for artistic development is very scarce. The objective of Windmill began to morph into not just being about our work but about the work of any artist with new ideas and new visions. The mission of Windmill is now to be an incubator for resident artists to create and advance new work.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Pursuing the arts is never smooth. Windmill’s renovation process alone almost broke me. I had hired a contractor who simply was dishonest and incompetent. The renovation that was supposed to last four months lasted a year and a half, costing significantly more than budgeted. As a result, I had to go back to work as an accountant to help fund the deficit created by the delay of Windmill opening.

Since its opening, the building has been serving its mission. By design, Windmill essentially makes enough money to keep the doors open. For the first six years, no one took any salary for the work of operating Windmill. In 2024, we finally added a part-time operations manager and a part-time marketing person.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What I am focused on now is creating new work: new plays, new movement pieces, new performance pieces, etc. I am constantly interested in expanding and experimenting with performance conventions. I have little interest in producing or even participating in work that has been done before. If I am going to put the effort in, I would rather create something new than just regurgitate a copy of someone else’s art.

The best part of Windmill is the group of resident artists that have been assembled. Providing space and in some cases, production help and advice has allowed these groups to flourish and grow. Many of these groups have been recognized by various critics and audiences as having created or are creating some of the most exciting art in Atlanta. One resident Artist group is taking a show that was developed at Windmill Arts to NYC in the fall of 2024.

What makes you happy?
Creating: whether that is writing, acting, directing or producing, or helping in each of those respective areas when asked. But mostly, my wife and my dog make me the happiest.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.windmillarts.org
• Instagram: @windmill.arts
• Facebook: @windmill arts